King Philip's War (1675-1676) was a brutal conflict between Native American tribes and English colonists in New England, led by Metacom (King Philip) of the Wampanoag. The war was the result of increasing colonial encroachment on Native lands and a struggle for power. It resulted in the destruction of many colonial towns and the decimation of several Native American tribes, causing profound demographic and cultural changes in the region. The war was one of the deadliest conflicts in American history, relative to the population at the time.

King Philip's War has been the subject of numerous historical narratives and poems, often serving as a symbol of the violent clash between Native American and European cultures. Mary Rowlandson's captivity narrative, 'The Sovereignty and Goodness of God,' is a key work from this period and a foundational text in American literature. The war's legacy is explored in contemporary works that examine the themes of colonization, resistance, and the erasure of indigenous peoples.